Useful Information

Navigating the care system is really difficult, there's some useful information below but if you need more,why not call our Careline?

Good Advice
Choosing to move a loved one into care can be one of the most difficult decisions a family can make, so it’s crucial to feel that it’s the right time and the right home. It’s not unusual to feel overwhelmed and unsure when looking starting out but there are plenty of people who you can turn to for advice.

We’ve helped many people new to choosing care for themselves or a relative.

Below are a few of the most frequent questions we are asked which might help you with your decision making. A good care home will not mind in the least answering a long list of questions so don’t be afraid to ask.

Some Common Questions

I am a little unsure about moving a family member into care or going into care myself. Everyone has said it’s the right move but how do I know for sure?
If you are unsure about moving into care, or choosing care for a relative, it is important to take time to look at your options. One option which people often don’t know, is that you can try a care home for a short break. This will give you the chance to have a couple of weeks to see if it’s the right choice.

Can I choose any home that I want?
You can choose any home as long as they can meet your care needs. If, for example, you or a loved one need the support of qualified nursing staff, you’ll need to choose a care home that can provide a nursing service.

Do I need an assessment before I move into a care home?
The first step is to get a free needs assessment from the social services department within your local council. They will be able to arrange a needs assessment, and it’s especially vital for people who need help with funding as councils will only fund care that your loved one has been assessed as needing. Even those planning to pay for the care themselves need an assessment to help understand which home is best suited to their needs.

What happens after the assessment?
Shortlist, contact and then visit. It’s good to make a shortlist of local homes based on the type of care you, or your loved one needs. You could ask family or friends for recommendations and a recommendation from a trusted and happy Resident is worth its weight in gold. It’s also good to have a look through the care inspection reports online and assure yourself that the home is well managed and Residents are being well looked after. A visit is an opportunity to see how a place feels and ask plenty of questions. Before you go it’s a good idea to make a list of things that is important and remember to refer to it on the visit. Once you have chosen a care home, the Home Manager from that home should come out and assess you to make sure that they are confident that they can meet your needs.

What assurances can you provide that the care is well-regulated?
All of our care homes are regulated by the health and social care inspectorate in the country in which they operate

We have our own high standards of internal regulation and you can have an active role in it
Our Residents’ safety and wellbeing is of absolute paramount importance and you can be assured that we have a very proactive approach to quality, while at the same time taking any concern raised extremely seriously.

We operate with openness and promote an open and honest culture to encourage regular feedback – whether it’s a compliment, complaint or suggestion.

We canvass live feedback from feedback tablets in our homes, we carry out Resident, relative and colleague surveys to canvas additional feedback and draw from that any positive or negative trends that help us to understand ways to improve and enhance our services.

Getting in touch
We understand that the decision to move into a care home is one of the most important you will ever have to make for yourself or a loved one. So, it’s crucial to feel that it’s the right time and the right home. We have care homes across the UK where care is delivered with kindness, thoughtfulness and respect. Our Home Managers are available to answer all the questions you want to ask.